Audiometric survey booth

ABSTRACT

An audiometric survey booth to conduct basic hearing tests is padded interiorly with sound absorbing material at the top and sides to shut out exterior noises. At the top, portions of said material extend diagonally downward and thence diagonally upward while the material at opposite sides is non-parallel, flaring inwardly from the top in a downward direction, being so arranged that the ears of a person within my booth are particularly well shielded from outside noises.

United States Eckel CROSS REFERENCE 51 Oct. 3, 1972 [54] AUDIOMETRIC SURVEY BOOTH [72] Inventor: Alan Eckel, 10 Hildreth St., Westford, Mass. 01886 [22] Filed: March 10, 1970 [21] Appl. No.: 18,172

[52] US. Cl. ..52/36, 52/144, 52/204, 181/33 G [51] Int. Cl. ..E04b 1/82 [58] Field of Search ..52/64, 20, 144, 36, 204; 181133 G, 33 GE, 33 GC, 33 K, 33 GB, 33

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1964 Sherron ..181/33 G 9/1964 Eckel ..181/33 G 6/1970 Woods ..52/144 OTHER PUBLICATIONS Noise Control Vol. 2, No. 2 March 1956 pp. 73- 77 and 102.

Primary Examiner-John E. Murtagh AttorneyHarold E. Cole [57] ABSTRACT An audiometric survey booth to conduct basic hearing tests is padded interiorly with sound absorbing material at the top and sides to shut out exterior noises. At the top, portions of said material extend diagonally downward and thence diagonally upward while the material at opposite sides is non-parallel, flaring inwardly from the top in a downward direction, being so arranged that the ears of a person within my booth are particularly well shielded from outside noises.

7 Claims, 5 Drawing Figures AUDIOMETRIC SURVEY BOOTH The principal object of my invention is to provide a portable booth with sound absorbing material so placed that it effectively protects the person withinfrom outside noises; yet avoids making the booth bulky or too costly.

The foregoing and other objects which will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, may be u accomplished by a construction, combination and arrangement of parts such as is disclosed by the drawing. The nature of the invention is such as to render it susceptible to various changes and modifications, and therefore, I am not to be limited to the construction disclosed by the drawing, nor to the particular parts described in the specification; but an entitled to all such changes therefrom as fall within the scope of my invention.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of my booth.

FIG. 2 is a rear elevational view of said booth, the rear door being shown partly broken away.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 oF FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 44 of FIG. 3.

FIG. 5 is a sectional view, greatly reduced, taken on the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

As illustrated, my audiometric survey booth is preferably made with an upper section and a lower section 12 thereon. The upper section has a front 14 provided with a window 16, two sides 18 and 20, and a top 22. The lower section 12 has a front 24 padded inwardly with sound absorbing material 26 which may be two inches thick, and retained by a sheet of metal 17.

There preferably is a counter 32 at the bottom of said upper section, which extends from said window 16 rearwardly. The booth may be closed at the rear by a door 36, as shown, hingedly connected as at 38 to said side 20, or a curtain, not shown, may be used to close my booth. This door has said material at the inside as at 39, about two inches thick, retained by a sheet of metal 39a. I

Said top 22 is padded with portions of sound absorbing material such as fiber glass, one portion 40 extending from said front 14 diagonally downward from which another portion 42 extends diagonally upward and rearwardly along said top, being retained by metal sheets 40a and 42a respectively. Said other top portion 42 is preferably spaced as at 43 from the rear or door 36 and is later referred to. This space 43 provides an opening for the head of a person P, as when he stands up in the booth.

A side portion 44 of sound absorbing material extends inwardly from said side and which material is retained by a metal sheet 45. Said side portion 44 metal sheet 45 terminate at the bottom portion of said upper section 10.

The opposite side 18 has a portion 50 of said sound absorbing material extending inwardly, being retained by a metal sheet 51, and which terminates at the lower portion of said upper section 10. Both of said portions 44 and 50 flare outwardly and downwardly, being relatively thin at the top, such as 2 inches, and gradually thickening or widening until they terminate in a thickness 5% inches. It will be seen from the direction of the metal sheets 45 and 51 that said portions 44 and 50 are non-parallel which arrangement is effective to break up sound waves and reduce noise.

At the lower section 12 a side 56 is directly below said side 18, being in effect a continuation thereof. Sound absorbent material 58 extends the full height thereof, being uniformly about 2 inches thick, as shown, and being retained by sheet metal 59.

Opposite to said side 56 is a side 60 directly below said side 20, being in effect a continuation thereof. Sound absorbent material 62 extends the full height thereof, being uniformly about 2 inches thick and being retained by sheet metal 63.

In order to close said space 43 at the top I provide a hinged closure cap 66 that is hinged as at 68 to said door. Said cap 66 is padded with said material 70 retained by a metal sheet 72.

In said FIG. 1 the position normally taken by a person P sitting on a chair C inside my booth in shown. His head and ears are at the rear half portion of my booth. He is protected from outside noise by said sound absorbing material.

What I claim is:

1. An audiometric survey booth comprising a front, a top, and two oppositely disposed sides extending from said front rearwardly, said top having sound absorbing material extending irregularly inward whereby the thickness of said material in a downward direction varies, said two sides having sound absorbing material extending inwardly, the lines defining the inner extremities of said material of said two sides being non-parallel, said top sound absorbing material having a first portion extending from said top diagonally downwards towards the rear of said booth and having another portion extending diagonally upward towards the rear of said booth, said other portion extending from said first portion rearwardly and upwardly a greater distance than said first portion extends.

2. An audiometric survey booth as set forth in claim 1, said two portions of said sides extending downwardly and flaring inwardly whereby their thickness varies from the upper ,part of said booth in a downward direction.

3. An audiometric survey booth as set forth in claim 1, said two portions of said sides extending downwardly and flaring inwardly whereby their thickness varies from the upper part of said booth in a downward direction, said top portion nearer the rear of said booth being spaced from said side portions thereby providing an opening for head space.

4. An audiometric survey booth as set forth in claim 1 and having an upper section and a lower section, said sides extending downwardly from said top and flaring inwardly until said lower section is reached where they terminate and whereby their thickness varies from the said top of said booth downwardly.

5. An audiometric survey booth as set forth in claim 1, said booth having an upper section and a lower section extending from the latter, and a counter in said upper section extending laterally and rearwardly from a point adjacent said front, and sound absorbing material extending downwardly from said counter at the front of said lower section.

6. An audiometric survey booth as set forth in claim 5, said upper section having a window at the front thereof, said counter being below said window, and a door at the rear movably attached to a said side.

7. An audiometric survey booth as set forth in claim 3, and a door at the rear movably attached to a said side, and a cap movably supported by said door and covering said top opening when in closed position, said top being adapted to be moved to open position when 5 said door is in closed position. 

1. An audiometric survey booth comprising a front, a top, and two oppositely disposed sides extending from said front rearwardly, said top having sound absorbing material extending irregularly inward whereby the thickness of said material in a downward direction varies, said two sides having sound absorbing material extending inwardly, the lines defining the inner extremities of said material of said two sides being nonparallel, said top sound absorbing material having a first portion extending from said top diagonally downwards towards the rear of said booth and having another portion extending diagonally upward towards the rear of said booth, said other portion extending from said first portion rearwardly and upwardly a greater distance than said first portion extends.
 2. An audiometric survey booth as set forth in claim 1, said two portions of said sides extending downwardly and flaring inwardly whereby their thickness varies from the upper part of said booth in a downward direction.
 3. An audiometric survey booth as set forth in claim 1, said two portions of said sides extending downwardly and flaring inwardly whereby their thickness varies from the upper part of said booth in a downward direction, said top portion nearer the rear of said booth being spaced from said side portions thereby providing an opening for head space.
 4. An audiometric survey booth as set forth in claim 1 and having an upper section and a lower section, said sides extending downwardly from said top and flaring inwardly until said lower section is reached where they terminate and whereby their thickness varies from the said top of said booth downwardly.
 5. An audiometric survey booth as set forth in claim 1, said booth having an upper section and a lower section extending from the latter, and a counter in said upper section extending laterally and rearwardly from a point adjacent said front, and sound absorbing material extending downwardly from said counter at the front of said lower section.
 6. An audiometric survey booth as set forth in claim 5, said upper section having a window at the front thereof, said counter being below said window, and a door at the rear movably attached to a said side.
 7. An audiometric survey booth as set forth in claim 3, and a door at the rear movably attached to a said side, and a cap movably supported by said door and covering said top opening when in closed position, said top being adapted to be moved to open position when said door is in closed position. 